Deep Water | Neteyam

24.

It broke Khalo that it was Rahil who carried Neytiri and Neteyam back to the clan.

Of course, he had seen some Ilus in a bad mood, but even before forming Tsaheylu with Neytiri, Rahil looked broken.

As soon as they reached the main beach, he was off Mameí, running towards Ao'nung and their parents, who were waiting on the beach.

Khalo reached them, pulling Ao'nung into a hug. Soon after, feeling a third pair of arms wrapping around them.

Khalo soon, begged away a little checking on his brother.

"Are you hurt? Wounded? Did Grandma check on you?" Khalo asked, looking at Ao'nung's back.

"I'm okay, Khalo; are you okay? Tsireya?" He back-checked.

"No." Tsireya's voice once again broke, pulling her brothers back into a hug.

She needed this. Her brothers and she never really hugged or, in fact, did anything together.
She especially with Ao'nung. There was no specific reason; Ao'nung was just always the person to hang out more with his friends than family. And the time he did spend time with his siblings, it was forced on them by their parents and only because of their duties.

While Khalo and Ao'nung shared similar duties, Tsireya had different ones.

For Khalo it felt like this hug stopped the surrounding time. All the surrounding chaos, checking for wounded and .. Other things, he was able to blend out.

"Khalo, Tsireya." Ronal broke off their hug, checking on her only now back gained children.
She checked on them, looking for any wounds, she could heal. She did not check verbally
She only found some minimalistic wounds, making her look at her children back in the eyes.

Ronal didn't have to say anything, but Khalo and Tsireya understood anyway.
Both of them knew that their mother was in fact not good with words, and their father was always the person to say what Ronal thought.

Khalo and Tsireya just slightly nodded, before being pulled in by a hug from their mother. Ao'nung too.

Khalo was asked to be in the water. By Lo'ak, but also by Neytiri. Both times, he declined the offer. He didn't feel like it was his place. After all, Neteyam and Khalo never mated. Now that Khalo thought of it, he didn't even know if Neteyam ever wanted to mate with him.

So he stayed there, where he could stand. In the water, but not completely.
He stood next to Ao'nung, who had rapped both of his arms around his sibling's shoulders.

Far, far away from where Neteyam would be, not in a minute or two.

This was, of course, not the first funeral he attended. Every death was handled the same way here. Everybody attended, with the only exception being if the dead Na'vi specifically told them that they were not allowed, or if it was a case of sickness.

But it was the first funeral where he was emotionally really involved.

Of course, he grieved over every death of his clan mates, but there were only ever elder persons, that he never really talked to.

It was the first funeral where a young Na'vi was buried, too.

He looked to his left.

It was Rahil again, whom now pulled Neteyam's body into the middle.

Jake was on Rahil, Lo'ak, and Neytiri on Neteyam's right and left, Tuk at his feet.

Only Kiri and Spider were completely separate on their own Ilu.